Some native words applied to localities from some distinguishing characteristic appear to belong to an ancient stock, and afford a field for speculation to the philologist. Such are Biring Hissár, or “the fort on a mound” (Arabic, hissár = fort, and Sistani, biring = mound); Biring Kaftár, or “the mound of hyænas” (Persian, kaftár = hyæna); Daki Tír, or “the arrow (straight) ridge” (Sistan, dak = ridge, and Persian, tír = arrow, and, metaphorically, straight); Daki Dela, or “the cyperus reed-ridge,” (Pushto, dela = cyperus grass); Chakná Súr, or “the fort of birds” (Brahoe, chak = bird; ná, sign of genitive; and Arabic súr = a fort), so named probably from its situation at the spot where wild-fowls and swans have from time immemorial been yearly snared and hunted; Sih Koha, or “the three hills” (Persian, sih = three, and koh = hill); Chilling or Shilling, (the place of) “bursting” or “overflowing,” probably from its situation where the hámún or lake overflows and bursts its barriers (Brahoe, chilling = bursting, and shilling = overflowing); Gódor “the hollow” (Persian, god = lap or hollow), &c. Other suggestive words, the names of villages in Sistan, are Bolay, Warmál, Banjár, Iskil, Khadang, Kechyán, Laff, Kimak, Shitak, Pulkí, Jazínak, Tiflak, Ishkinak, Sadkí, &c. Many villages are named after their founders, and generally they are found to occupy the sites of more ancient towns. These modern names in many cases serve to fix the dates of the new settlements or the restoration of old ruins.
For example, the present Jahánábád, built on the site of Biring Hissár, is named after Khán Jahán, Sanjarání Baloch, who restored the ruins of the old fort and repeopled the town at the commencement of the present century. Similarly Burj ’Alam, the “tower” or “citadel” built by ’Alam Khán, Nahroe Baloch, also about the commencement of the present century; Jalálabad, amongst the ruins of Doshák, named after Jaláluddín, Kayáni; Bahrámabad, named after Malik Bahrám, the Kayáni chief during the last quarter of the preceding century; Sharíf Khán, the village built by Sharíf Khán, Nahroe Baloch; Nasírabad, the town of Nasír Khán, Kayáni; Burj Sarband, the citadel or castle of the Sárbandi; Burj Afghan, the castle of the Afghans. Záhidán retains the name of the ruins amongst which it is situated. The name means “monks,” and is the Persian plural of the Arabic záhid, a monk; perhaps in the Arab period it contained a monastery or Muhammadan college, and hence the name.
The study of these local names is full of interest, and not without advantageous results. I believe if the inquiry were fully followed up, it would confirm the statements of history, and prove that the present population are, with the exception of the Kayáni and their Sistani subjects, only immigrants since the period of Nadír’s usurpation of the throne of Persia; and further, the inquiry, by tracing the genealogy and traditionary accounts of the chiefs after whom the villages are named, would enable us to form a tolerably correct idea of the progress of the population of the country since the period of its devastation by the Tátárs under Tymúr, and serve as a guide to the illustration of its local history and politics.
CHAPTER IX.
15th March.—Silyán to Lásh, eighteen miles, and halt two days. Our baggage proceeded by the direct route northward across the ruin-covered plain. The road is three or four miles shorter than that followed by ourselves, and passes the shrine of Saggid Icbál, the lofty dome of which overtops the surrounding ruins, and is a prominent object in the midst of their desolation.
We ourselves made a detour to the westward, and visited the ruins of Kol Márút, where we were told we should find an inscription to the following effect, viz.—
“Kol Márút khúshá ba sari ráh o guzar.
’Abash zamzam o khákhash hama zar.
Agar khwáhi jamáli Kába daryábi biram be masjidi Kol Márút ba wacti sahar.